Plant Based World Expo North America, the leading 100% plant-based trade event, marked its fifth event presenting the future of the plant-based industry to retail and foodservice professionals at the Javits Center in New York City. The event highlighted the accelerating innovation and longevity of the plant-based sector, setting the stage for what’s next in food and beverage, and bringing it to key stakeholders in the food industry.
Record-Breaking Buyers: Over the course of two days, the event broke a record for the number of buyers in attendance, with thousands of visitors at the show—2/3 of whom had direct purchasing power. These buyers represented sectors such as foodservice, retail, hospitality and distribution. Other attendees included senior executives from major companies who attended alongside other key industry players, including menu planners, product developers, academic researchers and government officials.
Championing Connections: Exemplifying the importance of live events for making business connections, buyers and exhibitors took advantage of an expanded Hosted Buyer Matchmaking Program during the event, which facilitated over 500 meetings. Companies including KeHe, Sodexo Campus, Fresh Thyme Market, Parkhurst Dining, Clark Distributing, Roots Market and Country Grocer participated in pre-scheduled meetings with suppliers who were matched using retail insights from SPINS, which took place in a dedicated area on the expo floor.
Feeding Student Populations: The event had great participation from foodservice and hospitality groups serving schools and colleges. Jamie Moore from Eaton Park Hospitality met with plant-based manufacturers during the show: “We have a division called Parker’s Dining that oversees colleges and universities. I’ll tell you, what really excites me about plant-based is the opportunity to bring something into a dining hall, specifically with our college students, and get the ‘wow’ factor from them. From something that they would have never, ever guessed was plant-based.” Rob Morasco, culinary director at Sodexo, hasn’t missed the event for three years: “It’s just so ever-changing and it moves so quickly. Every year that I come back to this show, there’s a new way someone’s taking this approach, whether it’s steak or a piece of chicken or a slice of cheese. Companies are making it plant-based and making it taste more and more like the thing that it’s replacing.”
Global Innovations: The Expo was a hub of global innovation, with exhibitors and products from around the world, including Mexico, the United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil and beyond. Attendees were introduced to groundbreaking products that are pushing the boundaries of what plant-based food can achieve. Notable innovations included Milkadamia’s ‘milk leaves’ – a dried sheet that can be rehydrated with water to create creamy oat and almond milk. One leaf makes the equivalent of 8 ounces of milk, with 94% less packaging waste and 85% less transportation weight than cartons.
On the show floor, attendees flocked to Konscious’ booth to taste plant-based salmon topped with fishless caviar. Imposter Foods presented melty mozzarella sticks with no dairy, and Shicken spotlighted their all-new plant-based chicken breast free from major allergens.
These cutting-edge products exemplify the industry’s rapid advancement toward achieving taste, texture and nutritional parity with traditional animal-based foods while being mindful of dietary requirements faced by customers. Leading companies like Gardein and Oatly highlighted the lower environmental impact of their offerings compared to conventional meat and dairy, reinforcing the crucial role of plant-based options in creating a sustainable food future.
Trends in Focus: The Expo revealed key industry trends, including a continued shift towards whole food-based products that prioritize natural ingredients over creating like-for-like meat analogs. Brands like Nature’s Fynd exhibited their range of meat and dairy alternatives featuring their novel ingredient Fy™, a new-to-world fungi protein with origins in Yellowstone National Park.
Demonstrating the trend of single-ingredient products, Inaexpo sampled their heart of palm spaghetti and rice alternatives, which capture the health-conscious consumer. Creating minimal-waste products, Fabalish, a company that centers chickpeas throughout their cross-category product range, sampled everything from brownies to falafel and condiments created with ‘aquafaba’ – the water from canned chickpeas. Flavors included pesto aioli, garlic sauce, ranch, fry sauce and chili crisp ranch.
The nutritional qualities of plant-based products were high on the agenda, and some exhibitors were presenting solutions to help manufacturers boost healthfulness and create more nutrient-dense products. Concepta Ingredients presented their Arboreto Premium Protein Powder, a unique blend of sesame and the Brazilian treenut babaçu, designed to offer high-protein and high-fiber attributes while also giving back to local communities in their supply chain.
Trends were also discussed widely in the educational program and, for the first time, the event opened all educational sessions to attendees and exhibitors at the show, creating a collaborative atmosphere for different sectors to interact with each other.
Industry Experts: A stellar lineup of expert speakers delivered valuable insights on the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in the plant-based industry across three theaters. Among the highlighted sessions, Jonathan Deutsch, PhD, and Ila Fennie of Aramark discussed their groundbreaking research on “Choice-Based Menu Interventions for Reducing Carbon Emissions,” revealing strategies for encouraging plant-based choices in university dining.
Jay Margolis, CEO of SPINS, led a keynote on integrating plant-based products into everyday meals, joined by Joseph Saine from Impossible Foods, offering a deep dive into consumer behavior and the adoption of plant-based meats. Additionally, menu engineering expert Sean Willard shared strategies for enhancing plant-based offerings in dining establishments, further emphasizing the Expo’s commitment to elevating plant-based cuisine across various sectors.
Award Winning Products: On the first show day, the plant-based business community VEGPRENEUR hosted their inaugural awards ceremony in partnership with Plant Based World Expo. After conducting over 450 individual product tastings, scoring against sustainability, taste, packaging, innovation and market viability, 16 winners were crowned at a ceremony. Winners included: milkadamia, Seed & Shell, Nature’s Fynd, UNCLE NICK’S, Voyage Foods and Yo Egg.
Event Significance: Jonathan Morley, Plant Based World Expo’s event director, commented: “This year we marked the fifth annual edition of Plant Based World Expo with true collaboration from across the sector. We are thrilled to have hosted so many buyers at our event and showcase the longevity and importance that the plant-based food industry holds. We firmly believe that the plant-based food sector holds the key to food system transformation that is desperately needed in 2024 and beyond. It is our privilege to create a space for the wider food and beverage industry to learn about the opportunities it presents, and further efforts to change the world for the better.”
Looking Ahead: As the plant-based movement continues to evolve, Plant Based World Expo North America remains at the forefront, providing a platform for the industry to connect, innovate and grow. The event will return to the Javits Center on September 24-25, 2025, promising even more groundbreaking developments in the world of plant-based food.
For more information on Plant Based World Expo North America, or to learn more about exhibiting in 2025, visit www.plantbasedworldexpo.com
